Jacksonville suffers the league's sharpest tumble after a shaky offseason, but Travis Hunter’s defensive shift and key veteran returns promise to transform a revitalized secondary into a powerhouse.
ESPN ranked the Jacksonville Jaguars ninth in its way-too-early power rankings in February, but nearly three months later, the team has fallen six spots.
Jacksonville falling from ninth to 15th is the sharpest decline in the rankings. The New England Patriots (second to sixth) and the Miami Dolphins (seventh to 11th) also saw steep declines.
The updated power rankings included the most improved position group for each team. ESPN's Jaguars reporter Michael DiRocco wrote that the cornerback unit got stronger in the past few months.
DiRocco highlighted Travis Hunter's focus on playing cornerback more as a reason for the group's improvement.
What side of the ball the team would focus Hunter's efforts was a hot topic throughout the offseason, and general manager James Gladstone and coach Liam Coen stressed their No. 2 pick will still play both sides of the ball, but will be more defense-leaning.
The former Colorado star played 36 percent of his snaps on defense, tallying 15 tackles (11 solo) and three passes defended before suffering a season-ending torn LCL in his right knee. A look back at his final season under coach Deion Sanders could provide insight as to what his production on defense will look like.
He totaled 35 tackles (24 solo), 11 passes defended, one forced fumble and four interceptions.
DiRocco also noted the re-singing of Montaric Brown and Jourdan Lewis' return from a season-ending foot injury in Week 16 that placed him on the injured reserve and required surgery.
"Re-signing Montaric Brown to start on the other side is a major plus, too," DiRocco wrote. "If Jourdan Lewis returns to his level of play before his Week 16 foot injury, the cornerbacks will be the Jaguars' strongest position group."
Brown, the Jaguars' seventh-round pick in 2022, climbed his way up the depth chart and became a key part of Jacksonville's defense. His role increased in the 2024 season, seeing a 13-percent jump in snaps (from 59 percent to 72 percent).
He totaled 75 tackles (55 solo), one interception and eight passes defended in 17 games. Brown maintained his level of play last season with 51 tackles (43 solo), two interceptions and 12 passes defended.
The ascension of Jacksonville's seventh-round pick earned him a three-year, $31.8 million contract extension in March.
Lewis was a new addition to the secondary in last year's free agency. He ended an eight-year tenure with the Dallas Cowboys and joined the Jaguars on a three-year, $30 million contract.
His first season in Jacksonville was limited by injuries, as he only played 12 games. Alongside his season-ending foot injury, Lewis had a neck injury that sidelined him for three games in Weeks 9-11.
The former Cowboy was still productive in his 12 games with the Jaguars, recording 39 tackles (21 solo), one fumble recovery, two interceptions and 10 passes defended.
Lewis could also help get to the quarterback, as Dallas' defense utilized cornerback blitzes to generate additional pressure. He tallied 9.5 sacks during his time with the Cowboys.
While DiRocco noted the cornerback group as the most improved position for Jacksonville, he said the Jaguars needed pass-rush help in the offseason in February's power rankings.
"The Jaguars did a good job of getting close to the quarterback in 2025 (222 pressures, ranked third), but not so much in getting the quarterback on the ground (32 sacks, ranked 27th)," DiRocco wrote. "Fixing that will likely come either via trade or free agency because they don't have a first-round pick after trading up for wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter in 2025."
Jacksonville acquired Ruke Orhorhoro via trade from the Atlanta Falcons and drafted Albert Regis 81st in this year's draft for interior depth. They also added defensive ends Wesley Williams (119th pick) and Zach Durfee (233th pick).
The Jaguars bolstered their pass rush through trades, the draft and undrafted free agents, but they may not be major upgrades. Orhorhoro generated the most pressure from the new acquisitions with 30, but he served as a backup in Atlanta.
DiRocco wrote that the Jaguars needed to address their pass-rushing, and believes the cornerback group was the most improved. It could be why Jacksonville dropped from No. 9 to No. 15 nearly three months after the first power rankings were released.
Nonetheless, he pointed out great improvement at the cornerback position, which could help improve a pass defense that ranked 21st in passing yards allowed per game last season (218.1).
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!